Child Protection and Wellbeing Nhsggc Reference Manual for Managers

March 2009 CHILD PROTECTION AND WELLBEING NHSGGC REFERENCE MANUAL FOR MANAGERS Lead Manager: Marie Valente Responsible Director: CH (C) P Directors, Directors of Acute Divisions Approved by: NHSGGC Child Protection Forum Date approved: 21st January 2009 Date for Review: 21st January 2012 1 CONTENTS PAGE Executive summary 3 Introduction 5 What Young People Say 5 National Policy Background 7 National Inquires 12 Legislative Background 12 Roles and responsibilities of NHSGGC staff 13 Key definitions and concepts 20 Recognition 21 What to do if you are worried about a child 28 Tripartite discussions 28 Paediatric Medical Examinations 30 Adolescent paediatric and forensic medicals 31 Sharing of information 32 Early sharing and collation of information 33 Training 34 Key contributors 34 Consultation process 34 APPENDICES Appendix 1 - GIRFEC diagram Appendix 2 - Assessment triangle Appendix 3 - Organisational chart Appendix 4 - Child Protection Unit leaflet Appendix 5 - Staff Leaflet (Salary slips) Appendix 6 - Social Work Contacts Appendix 7 - NHS Contacts Appendix 8 - Shared Referral Form Appendix 9 - Tripartite Discussions Diagram Appendix 10 - Early Sharing and Collation of Information Forms Appendix 11 - List of other related policies, procedures and guidance Appendix 12 - References 2 Executive Summary This handbook sets out NHSGGC’s staff roles and responsibilities with regard to ensuring child protection and wellbeing. It aims to ensure that staff know how to act should they have concerns. It offers guidance on key aspects of child protection and wellbeing that are particularly relevant to health staff. It describes NHSGGC’s vision for children. The overall purpose of NHSGGC is to deliver effective and high quality health services, act to improve the health of our population and reduce health inequalities. These key objectives are detailed in the children’s service planning process. It highlights key messages from young people. Some of these are: • Relating to, listening to, communication with young people, personality of staff • Respect their views / feelings • Give time/space • Confidentiality • Make sure they know they are loved and protected • Remove from harm • Work together • Ongoing support • Use child friendly language • Tell them not their fault It outlines the national policy background pertaining to child protection and wellbeing, and extracts key messages for NHSGGC. The main messages from the following documents are elucidated: • It’s Everyone’s Job to Make Sure I’m alright ,Scottish Executive, 2002 • Protecting Children and Young People: The Framework for Standards, Scottish Executive, 2004a • Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter, Scottish Executive, 2004b • Protecting Children and Young People, Child Protection Committees, Scottish Executive, 2005 • How Well Are Children and Young People Protected and Their Needs Met?: Self Evaluation Using Quality Indicators, HMIE, 2005 • Evaluation of Services for Children and Young People: Generic Quality Indicators, HMIE, 2006 • Getting It Right for Every Child: Proposals for Action, Scottish Executive, 2006a • Delivering a Healthy Future: An Action Framework for Children and Young People’s Health in Scotland, Scottish Executive, 2006b • Have we got our priorities right? Children living with parental substance use, Aberlour, 2006 3 • Hidden Harm – next Steps: Supporting Children- Working with parents, Scottish Executive, 2006c • Emergency Care Framework For Children and Young People in Scotland, Scottish Executive, 2006d • Guide to Evaluating Services for Children and Young People Using Quality Indictors” (2007) HMIE • Better Health, Better Care Action Plan, Scottish Government, 2007 It highlights the legislative background pertinent to child protection and wellbeing work, extracting relevant aspects of The Children Scotland Act (1995) The following key concepts in child protection and wellbeing work are described and defined: • Definition of a child • Child Abuse • Child neglect • Child in need • Significant Harm • Child protection It offers guidance on recognition of key signs of possible child abuse. Information on paediatric/forensic medicals is provided. Guidance on sharing of information is provided. General principles are highlighted as follows: • All staff have a responsibility to act to make sure that all children are protected from harm • Appropriate care is dependent on those providing that care having ready access to relevant information • If there is reasonable concern that a child may be at risk of significant harm this will “always override a professional or agency requirement to keep the information confidential” CMPO (2004)19 The main tenets of the early sharing and collation of information system are described. The Child Protection Unit acts as a “one stop shop” for social workers at the initial stage of information gathering following a child protection concern being raised. On receipt of a telephone enquiry administrative staff access health databases and where necessary, other available information in relation to an identified child or children. It is currently possible to access health data from a variety of sources available within the Unit, and this information can be made available very quickly. Information being sourced outwith the unit takes longer but in most cases it should be possible to provide social work, police and health colleagues with a list of health services together with names and contact details of key individuals who have been involved with the child, within the same working day. A summary of key information contained in the directly accessible data sources is also provided. The information collated is reviewed by the Advisor on duty prior to sharing. The importance of training is emphasized. All staff should be trained in child welfare and protection to ensure competency in the discharge of their duties. A framework for 4 standards in this area is set out in the NHSGGC strategic Training Plan 2007. A training calendar of courses is produced regularly by the Child Protection Unit. 5 1. Introduction 1.1. NHSGGC vision for children’s services 1.1.1. NHSGGC seeks to embrace the Scottish Government’s vision for children- that they are safe, healthy, active, nurtured, achieving included, respected and responsible. 1.1.2. Our overall purpose in NHSGGC is to deliver effective and high quality health services, act to improve the health of our population and reduce health inequalities. These key objectives are detailed in the children’s service planning process. Overall objectives for NHSGGC are: • Improve resource utilization • Shift the balance of care • Focus resources on greatest need • Improve accessibility • Modernise services • Improve health • An effective organisation. 1.1.3. So our vision is to make sure that we manage our resources effectively to protect children and young people and ensure that their needs are met. 1.3. Purpose of this policy and procedural guidance and who it is for 1.3.1. This policy and procedural guidance is for all NHSGGC managers Its purpose is to offer guidance on key aspects of child protection and wellbeing work that are particularly relevant to health staff. 2. What Young People Say 2.1 Recent developments from the Scottish Government and HMIe (Children’s Charter and Quality Indicators) have highlighted the importance of seeking the views of and listening to children and young people. This work has helped strengthen the resolve of organisations to focus more strongly on seeking the views of children and young people in respect of services provided. 2.2. NHSGGC Child Protection Unit consulted with young people (Youth Voices and Young Scot) upon what should be included in child protection training for staff. The results are indicative of what young people feel is important in child protection / wellbeing work. Young people reported the following as significant: • Relating to, listening to, communication with young people, personality of staff • Example - Being fun, caring, calm, don’t treat like babies, listen to them, give good advice, be sensitive • Respect their views / feelings • Example - Respect them as individuals, they’ll get upset easy 6 • Give time/space • Example - Be patient, don’t touch them if scared, don’t pressurise them • Confidentiality • Example - Should be able to tell in confidence unless life threatening • Frequency of training • Example - They should be updated, it is very important • Make sure they know they are loved and protected • Example - People want to help, tell them they are loved • Telling • Example - Sometimes it is hard to tell, tell them they should tell • Remove from harm. • Example - Protect them from getting harmed, in a modern society children have the right to a loving family • Work together • Example - No one is perfect but if we work together • Ongoing support • Example - Child Line, don’t leave them • Use child friendly language • Example - No jargon • Tell not their fault • Example - They haven’t brought it on themselves. 2.3. Young people felt that the following were important messages for staff: • Relating to, listening to, communication with young people, personality of staff • Example - Know about children, listen to them, don’t guess, be kind, don’t talk down to them, might not want to talk to someone the same sex as the person that hurt them • Respect their views / feelings • Example - Some children might be cheeky / aggressive because of it, take a step in the child’s shoes • History • Example - Should know their history, family, friends,

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